Something to live for
by thebronynovelist
Summary: A man in postapocalyptic New Orleans is left with no purpose. But when he goes out on a routine medicine trip, he finds something unexpected.
1. Chapter 1

**Something to Live For**

**Chapter 1**

It was a simple task. Go into town, grab medicine, and get out. At least, that was the original plan. I woke up in my little bomb shelter that was on the outskirts of the town, dimly lit from a fire pit I had put in after the generator went out. I sat next to the fire and cooked some rat I had managed to scrape together form a trip to the town pharmacy. I slowly turned my "meal" as I sat and sipped at my canteen. As I sat and nibbled on my breakfast, I grabbed the T.V. recording DVD and stuck into the old computer that I had set up. It was mainly for playing games, watching movies and T.V. shows that I got from the old video store, and my journal. These things kept me sane and prevented me from killing myself many times in the past. As I forced down the last bit of my rat, I leaned back and watched some Saturday morning cartoons. This little bit of innocence was enough to keep me alive every day. I watched one episode of a little girls show called _My Little Pony_. I laughed at the color and the wacky adventures. For if you acted that way here, you would be killed. I switched my computer to off and began to head up the ladder to the outside. As I unlocked the hatch, I looked behind me at the safety I was leaving behind. I hade made a decent 3 bedroom, underground house in the time I had spent here. I shrugged it off and went farther up the ladder. I turned the lock on the large door that I had managed to scrap off a battleship. I forced the door open and the creaking was intensely high pitched. The sunlight came in and filled my whole dwelling with the sweet sunlight.

I was on the outskirts of what used to be New Orleans. It was a good place to live, but not inside the city. It was festering with mutants, bandits, thugs, psychopaths, and any other horrible thing you could imagine. Jungle animals also roamed, after being set loose after the Governments fell. I came to New Orleans with one of the four main tribes of the afterworld. I came here and just decided that I was done hurting people, and I decided to hole up till death came to take me. I stood up with my shoes in the grass of the park where I had put my home. I leaned back and popped my back loud and I felt great. I looked off to the city and basked in its former glory. I liked to imagine that it was just a little dirty, and that if everything was cleaned off it would be home to people again. But that was just a dream. It would never happen. As I grabbed my bag and bike from a nearby tree, I ran trough the list of items I needed.

_A first aid kit_

_Food_

_Water_

_Ammo_

_A new machete maybe_

_Some DVDs _

It was a pretty basic list but it was difficult as hell to get. I decided to get the items in order I had listed them in my head. So first it was to the center of town.

I pedaled as fast as I could to not waste anytime. As I hit the center of town, I noticed how quiet it was. Usually there were some bandits or some sort of animals but not today. I decided to grab my rifle just in case. I took it off the side rack of my bike and began to head into the pharmacy. The stench was horrible; I slid my goggles on as well as my bandana over my mouth. I waked down the aisle for first aid supplies and grabbed a premade First aid kit. I walked up to the counter and looked to see what was on the other side. Nothing. So I sat on the top of it and put in my headphones. I was scrolling through my music when I heard a crashing of pans from the back room. I grabbed my machete from its sheath and jumped off the counter. As I walked to the back, I heard a growling noise from the back as well. I quickened my pace and when I turned the corner I saw a large black wolf. But it was cornering a small, Orange, pony. I couldn't focus on this and I jumped between the wolf and the pony. The wolf eyed me with hatred for inconveniencing it and it lunged at me. I jabbed it in the gut with my machete. As it slumped to the ground, I wiped off my blade and put it back in its place. I turned around to look at the pony to see it still backed into the corner. I pulled down my mask and goggles and smiled softly at the pony. I kneeled down and said," it's alright. I aint gonna hurt ya." This didn't seem to change the pony in anyway so I offered it some bread from breakfast. It slowly reached its head out, eyeing the bread and me at nearly the same time. Then she picked it up and curled up next to my knee, devouring its catch. I picked it up, which frightened it at first but it eventually got used to being handled. I put it into my bag and slipped its head out so it could see. I walked out to my bike and hopped on it and continued out of the town. As we pulled into the park I stopped and made sure I wasn't followed. All clear. I pulled the hatch up from its hiding place and climbed down. As I touched the floor, I reached around to get the small pony from the bag. It objected at first but eventually let me handle it. I set it down and let it crawl out of the bag. It looked around in awe of the new area that surrounded it. I walked into the kitchen area of the bunker and brought out a loaf of bread. I turned to see it standing right behind me. Begging for more. I took out four slices and put them down on a paper towel for the little pony to eat. I walked into the living room area and sat down on the couch to think of the days occurrences. As I did this, the little pony trotted into the room and stopped in front of the couch. It stood there and stared at me for a while. Then it simply jumped up and lay right next to me. I didn't want to disturb its rest so I grabbed a blanket and joined it in some well deserved rest. I would think about everything else tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A Safe Place to Stay**

I woke up and stared at the ceiling of my living room. I thought about the dream I had had and about how I really needed to go get some food. I put my hands under my head to make a makeshift pillow. I went to sit up and noticed a reasonable weight on my chest. I looked down to see a curled up, orange filly. Still sound asleep. So it wasn't a dream, well then this is by far the oddest thing to ever happen to me. But it was also a very good thing. I had a purpose now. I had someone to take care of. As I sat in thought of the recent events, the little filly began to stir. She slowly opened her large green eyes. She turned her head from its place of right over my heart and looked me in the eyes. She sat there and just stared at me, as if saying," so…what now?" I laughed and said," I don't know either. But I am sure we will think of something." a picked up the filly and set her on the couch next to me. She tried to at least get back on my lap, but I had stood up to quickly and had left her on the couch. I felt bad about this and helped her down off the couch. She followed me into the kitchen and pleaded and begged with her eyes for something to eat. I looked through the cupboards and eventually found the bread. Then I had an idea. I kneeled down to the filly and opened her mouth. She had some teeth. so I pulled some carrots down as well and broke them apart with my hands. I feed them to her and she seemed to really enjoy them.

I decided to check the park to see if she could eat some grass. So I scooped her up and went to open the hatch. There was a very happy feeling in my heart which I couldn't explain. So I ignored it and opened the hatch. I set the filly down and sat on the grass, then I waited to see what she would do. She stared at me for the first few seconds. then I said," its alright, go ahead." she turned her gaze to the ground then began to chew on the grass. I sighed in relief and then I just sat there with her the whole afternoon.

It had been a year since I had found her, Things changed drastically between us when she did something unexpected. She spoke. It was a short and simple sentence but it was still words. We were playing outside, we were playing tag. After about two hours of nonstop tag, we collapsed on the ground near the hatch and laid there laughing. Then I stood up and looked to the sky. It would be dark soon. I sat back down next to her and said," c'mon honey, we need to get inside. I don't want anything to happen to you." She stood up and walked over to me, it was amazing how much she had grown. She was at neck level to me when I was sitting down. She came up to me and kissed my forehead. Then she said," I love you daddy." I nearly collapsed, it was just such a shock. I smiled and grabbed her head and kissed her on the forehead and responded with a soft and sweet," I love you to baby girl." I opened the hatch and she went down with me. I had put in stairs since she came to live here and it was a lot better than that old ladder. She walked off to her room and I walked to mine. I sat in bed for hours thinking about what she had said. I knew that living with me would turn me into her father figure. But that also made my whole life into something else, this whole bunker into something else. She made it a home. And quite frankly, that was something it had never been.

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><p>hey guys. I am so sorry this is so short. I am also sorry that my other story wasn't updated. some last minute family business came up and I haven't had much time to do anything. but I will accept OCs in this story, and maybe any other references to your stories. but it will cost you 1 review. so thanks again and cant wait for next chapter.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**Memories**

It had now been about three years since that incident. I had just got back from my searches in the town. She was watching television shows on the T.V. I had hooked up to the computer in the living room. She looked over to me and sighed.

"When can I go with you, you would be able to carry more if I went to." This was true but I didn't want anything to happen to her. And a small bandit tribe had came in and would look at her as food.

" When you are older. Besides, another tribe came in a week ago and it is pretty nasty out there most of the time."

" Fine, dad."

I went into the kitchen and dropped off my findings on the table. She jumped up on her hind legs ad put her forelegs on a chair. So she could see for herself. There were cans of food, computer games, water filters, and a DVD. Tonight was movie night at the homebase and I had got what I thought was a classic. she had never seen _Titanic_ and I thought that she was old enough to handle it now. Though I estimated her to be only about 6 or 7, she acted very mature for her age. I went into the living room and popped the movie into the computer and switched the input on the T.V. to the computer, then I sat on the couch. She followed soon after and jumped up on the other side of the couch. As the movie began to play we got comfortable and began to watch the movie. About halfway through the movie she fell asleep. I looked down to her and smiled. I turned the movie off and covered her up. Then I walked to my room for some peace and quite. I had gotten a second computer so she couldn't read my journal. I had no deep dark secrets that would really destroy her. But there were two I didn't want her to know. The first was my big secret about my past. Where I had come from and who I had been. The second was what I did when I was sad or lonely. I would go into town, go to the tallest building, and I would help people cross the city. I knew the thought that I had killed more than the wolf would greatly alter her image of me. I had helped all kinds of people across the city. I had also failed sometimes. The people I had let down still haunted me today. I knew that I could have done more but I didn't. I opened up my file where I had all my pictures and a word document. I opened the word document and dated it. then I wrote:

"Dear Anna,

I wish you could see her. she is so big now and she is getting so smart for something of her age. she reminds me of you, you know? She is stubborn and and can be very troublesome at times. But she is also kind and she will go out of her way to help anyone who needs it. She still doesn't know you existed. I haven't been able to tell her. I just don't know how she would react. Even though I haven't told her. I still love you. I miss you. And I wish you could be here to see our daughter grow.

forever your love,

Marcus"

I stopped and saved the document. I looked at the title. _Letters to Anna. _I missed her so much. AJ and her would have gotten along so well. But the revolutionaries took her and made her work for them. They worked her to death in the mines to get the iron that wasn't there. If only. If only. But I was thinking in a perfect world. She always said," If we were meant to live in a perfect world. We would. But we don't. So it is up to us to make the best of what we have and live our lives as they are given to us." There was so much truth in that statement. I would have loved for her to live. But she gave me a daughter. Though not through child birth, I she was still alive I wouldn't be in New Orleans. And I never would have met my daughter. I sat back and opened the picture file labeled _my love_. I went through the pictures of when we got engaged, our wedding, our honey moon, our lives together. I began to cry so I turned my computer off. I sat there and cried to myself for a bit. My hands covered my face and I sobbed gently. I eventually moved to my bed and laid in the warm sheets. I turned my head into my pillow and cried more. Now that it was muffled and softened, I could cry to my hearts content. I cried loud and out, not caring how loud because no one could hear me.

It went on like this for at least one hour. when I eventually stopped I rolled over and stared at the wall. I heard the door creak open but I didn't move. I heard the hoof steps come around the bed until her large eyes were facing me. She looked at me and I stared back at her, I could hardly see her through my tears.

" I hear you crying almost every night. I don't know why daddy, but you do. But please know that I love you. And even though you went through a lot before I came. I will always love you. And you will always be my dad." As she said these last few words she jumped up on the bed. She laid down right next to me. She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead and then laid her head right near my chest. I pulled her in closer and whispered in her ear," and you will always be my baby girl." Her warmth engulfed me and she soon fell asleep again. I laid there and thought about what may have happened if Anna had lived and meet AJ. I shrugged it off and closed my eyes and let Applejack's sweet voice ring in my memories as I drifted off to sleep.

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><p>I feel pretty good about this chapter. I put some more work into it but all of my stuff still seems short to me. but I am urged to write faster and that will cost a few details. I have also forgot to mention one thing, for legal reasons.<p>

*** All characters in this story belong to their respective owners. Applejack and the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic cast are property of Hasbro.***

anyways I look forward to more requests and look forward to more reviews as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

First Time In The City

Note: I have been begged and pleaded to do this. And I have finally given in. though it defies laws of actual science, I am giving AJ her accent. So things may sound different. Alright thanks.

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><p>I awoke in the early hours of the morning. I looked over to the computer and I remembered her. Every time I did, I remembered her face in those pictures. I breathed heavily out. I rolled over and saw AJ, still asleep. I slowly got out of bed, trying to not disturb her. Which proved unsuccessful as she said," now where do you think y'all r' goin." I laughed at her little choice of words.<p>

" I am going to town."

" with so much as a good mornin' hug r' kiss fir your own daughter. Dad, y'all know better than such s' that."

I more openly laughed this time. She was a real character in the morning. She was definitely a morning person. I walked over to the other side of the bed very calm and collected. Then I grabbed her and brought her up in my arms and hugged her tighter than ever before, while kissing her on the cheek.

" All right all right. Y'all made your point. Now would you mind putting me down. I feel a lil less tired all of a sudden." She said this between little fits of laughter. I set her down on the ground so we could go get some breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and flipped the breaker switches for the generators. The lights came on slowly at first, then shown bright. She jumped up on her little stand I had made for her and she put her hooves on the table.

" Well dad, what r' ya gettin in town today. Some new movies, some new grub, more readin material, maybe some games for the old Nintendo. I bet I could beat ya now if I tried my hardest."

I laughed; I was the game master of the house, and I always fought to keep that title.

" I don't know. Maybe I need your help to get the right stuff."

"Ya mean it, I get ta go with y'all this time."

" And if you do well enough, you can join me in town from now on."

She was overjoyed by this. She was laughing and smiling and telling me all the cool stuff she was going to bring back for her room.

" Hush now, we still have some things to do around here. Such as eat." I put an vegetarian omelet in front of her and she devoured it before I could even start mine.

"Can we get goin now, I really wanna get as much time in as possible."

" alright, but let me at least grab a sandwich. Alright"

" OK. Ooohh I cant believe it, I get ta go inta town with my pa."

She was really taking a liking to the idea. I walked over to a cabinet after I finished my sandwich and opened it. It was my gun cabinet, filled with anything from rifles to grenades. I grabbed my M16 and started walking towards the exit. Then I turned to see AJ not following me.

" Well, miss, are you joining me or not?"

" Ah shoot, hold yer horses I'm coming." When she turned the corner she had a backpack on each side of her body, like a makeshift saddle bag.

" Well then, lets get goin." I turned and opened the door to the home and the amazing sunlight filled the whole room.

" hey pa?"

" yes AJ, what is it."

"What is the city like?"

I stopped to think of an appropriate response, I turned to her and looked her in the eyes. Then I grabbed her hoof and brought it to my chest.

"Dangerous, the city is very dangerous. And I need you to promise me that you will not leave my sight for anything. Am I understood."

She had that characteristic sparkle in her eyes, the one I had come to love.

" Yessir, I promise 'cross my heart an' hope ta die."

"good."

As we both went to the field that we played in, I pulled my mask up and put my goggles down over my face. Then I said from behind the bandana that covered my face," and if you are good, we can go see uncle Robert."

" I love uncle Robby. Oh boy, this 's gonna be the best day ever. I just know it." In all actuality , Robert was just a marks man that I had befriended a little bit after I met AJ. She had taken a liking to him immediately. We continued to walk and she occasionally asked what I was actually planning to go and get from the city. I would always tell her it was her call, she was big enough to make some important decisions. As we began to work our way into the city, we couldn't help but notice how quiet It was. The only noise was the singing of the wind through the carcass that was once New Orleans. AJ's mood immediately changed, I could feel it in the air. I turned to here and said," Welcome to New Orleans."

It was about noon when we stopped at the video store. We walked in through an open window and I checked the store for any bandits or other wary things. Nope, nothing. So I waved for her to come in and she slowly walked to my side. I started browsing the selection.

"So what are you in the mood for babygirl."

" Do you know of any classics." I immediately grabbed a few to add to the collection.

Just some were the whole LOTR trilogy, Braveheart, and the whole star wars Saga. Yea, I was raising a perfect child. She said that would do then we moved to the games. I decided to take it up a notch and I grabbed an Xbox and a few games. So I put them in here saddlebags and we headed on out. I told here we would go to a farm and get some food for dinner and the rest of our meals for the week. So as we headed on out of town, I remembered my promise. We went to Roberts shack on the way to the farm and I stopped in front. I turned and faced Applejack, then I said," would you like to do the honors."

"WOULD I?" she was immediately on the front steps of the shack and then in front of the door. She knocked on the door with her hoof. The doors peephole opened up and I could see his blue eyes.

"Well hiya Marcus, why you all the way o'er there?"

" open the door Robby." He did so and right as he did, AJ used all of her force to lunge on him. She was standing on her hind legs hugging Robby to her hearts content.

" Uncle Robby. Oh I missed y'all."

"wohoho hold on there kiddo. Uncle Robby is getting old, he can hardly stand an AJ super hug."

" oh sorry," after she said this she let go. Then Robby got down on one knee and put his arms out.

"Well now I am ready kiddo." She ran up to him and hugged him some more.

"I ain't seen ya since you were no bigger than my head kiddo, how's it been goin with ya and your old man. Is he getting boring in his old age."

" not Really. He is still pretty crazy."

He looked up to me," well that is some good news."

They sat and talked about what had been going on with him and she talked about us. I decided I would get food by myself later. So I sat down on the couch and let them talk. I felt my eyelids get heavy. I decided I would just get food with AJ tomorrow. And I was soon fast asleep.

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><p>I wrote this in like 1 hour so it might suck. Just tell me what you think of the accent. I find it difficult to do them but I am working on it. OCs are still being accepted by the way, still cost one review though. So yeah I look forward to your guys feedback and I will get to work on chapter five. See ya!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

An Amazing Find

When I woke up, I was still in my chair at Robby's place. I turned my head to see AJ curled up at my side. I put my hand an her shoulder and pushed ever so slightly. She groaned but then slowly opened her left eye. I said," time to go dear, we still need to get a few things."

" oh alright, but don't ya go thinkin' I am goin to be happy 'bout it."

" well yes ma'am, and a good morning to you as well." We both stood up and we began to walk to the door to go finish our errands before we were out another day. I slowly pushed open the door and it creaked on its iron hinges. As we walked to the pastures where they crops farmers used to grow still grew wild. I pulled my facial gear up and put it on while I looked off into the golden sunrise over what was left of the far green pastures of the farmlands. I began to walk off the steps and as I did, I heard her voice speak to me." Dad, I've noticed some changes in t' way ya act. You move a lil slower everyday. You get tired more easily. And most of the time, you seem awful sad. It just ain't in your nature to act this way, what's goin on?"

I looked to the ground, but then I brought myself to look her in the eyes. Then I came outright and said it," honey, I am getting old. And I am sad because I will have to leave you in this world someday. You will wake up on morning to find I have left you with only a shell of who I was, and you will have to face this world on your own. But that is not for us to think of at this moment." With this I stood up and I turned to face the direction of the old farmlands. We walked down the dirt road and did so in silence. Then I heard a rumbling noise off from the city where we had come from. I turned to see a large dust cloud forming on the horizon. It was a bandit caravan. I grabbed AJ and jumped down into a deep hole on the side of the road. She was trying to scream in fear but I covered her mouth. The thunderous roar of the bikes, cars, and trucks was right behind us. We sat there with our eyes closed in the tremendous rumbling of the caravan as it shot past us. After it had left, I let go of AJ who let out a long sigh. I then picked up myself and peered over the rim of the hole. I looked both ways down the street. They were gone. I sat back down with her and told her it was OK to get out and continue. I picked her up and set her on the edge with ease. Then I jumped out myself. I stood up and brushed myself off with my gloved hands and we looked towards the farm and ventured onwards. We walked in silence for a long time; the beating of my boots against the pavement and the clack of her hooves filling the still air with the only noise for now. The far green pastures outside the city that had sprung up after not being mended made one forget of the horrid life that awaited them on their heels. I walked in thought for a long time; simply thinking in "what if". All possible scenarios and circumstances that may change the world. Then she said" how much farther?"

I turned to her and smiled," not much farther now. If you are tired, we can stop at the beach. We are only about a mile or two from the shore."

She perked up at the idea and gawked at me," now I dun think I've ever seen the beach, I'd like that if we could."

" I looked off to the direction of the farm, then changed my gaze towards a road that led to the beach. I stared her in the eyes and said," well then lets go, we just can't stay very long." We began down the other road towards the beach. It was covered in dirt and it was growing over with wildlife, but the original road was still visible through all the brush. We walked through the bit of trail that was in our way until we got to the white sandy shore. I picked her up and put her on my shoulders so she could see farther out over the horizon and into the south of the world.

" Well now, I can't even see anything over there. Is there anything else past here?"

I put her down back on the warm sand and she walked on to the shore line. I rolled up the legs of my jeans until they were up to my knees and I went over with her. We both stood just far enough in the water where we would be comfortable.

"There is more, but hundreds of miles off."

" woah, that's just so far off."

I looked back down to her and said," yes, yes it is."

She stood there for a long time and just probed the water with her hoof. I noticed that she seemed to need some help to get to know the water. I leaned down to hug her and she returned it. Then I grabbed her soft fur-coated body and looked her in the face.

" Now what do ya'll think yer doin?" she asked with a tone of shock in her voice.

" Just having some fun." With these last words I raised her up into the air, then I threw her in a slight outward arc. She splashed into the water and sent a moderately sized wave at me, which managed to get me wet up to my waist. I laughed at this little bit of chaos and she surfaced. She looked at me; she wasn't angry but she was red faced, from embarrassment.

"oh so ya'll think that you're real funny huh." With this she ran out of the water. I turned to see where she went, afraid she was running away. She got quite a ways back on the shore then pivoted around to face me. Then she stamped the ground with her hoof, she was beginning to charge. I smiled at this challenge and raised my hands to her, then I said," come on dear, we haven't got all day." It seemed as though she was running faster than she was capable of. She was pouncing on me with the force of a freight train. I was flying backwards into the water that was behind me. I looked to her through the salt water to see here triumphant face. I held my breathe for as long as I could, then I picked her up from on top of me. I held her infront of my now dripping wet body as I stood up from the water. She smiled and blushed a deep rose red. I walked over to the shore and set her down, I then looked far up to the deep blue sky and let out a sigh. We had stayed much longer than expected. I looked back down to AJ and noticed she was still blushing, and she was also smiling ear to ear.

"Come on, we need a place to stay. There is no possible way that we could get to the farm, get what we need, and still get home before dark. Come on, there is a beach house up ahead. We can sleep there tonight."

" Alright dad." We walked off into the direction where I had seen an old abandoned house before. We walked along at a brisk pace, towards the west a ways. It was almost as though we were racing the sun to get to a shelter before it brought the moon. When we saw the top of the beach house over the horizon, I noticed something was very different. There was a red brick wall outside, the windows were newly shuttered, the house seemed to have been repainted a pearl white, there was a fairly successful garden outside of the front door, there was an ornate cobblestone walkway leading to the houses large oak doors, and in front of these doors were two stone lion heads on pedestals of concrete. But one thing that really seemed to surprise me was that there was a sweet sound of music in the air. I looked to AJ and told her to stat behind me. I looked back to the house and pulled my gun close to my hand. We walked up to the gates of the small wall and pressed the ringer of the gate. After about twenty seconds the gate slowly pulled open. We heard a female voice over an intercom say in a very un-accented, proper English voice," come up to the front doors and stand near the peephole. I will decide whether you may enter or not." I nodded my head to show that I agreed, for I knew we were being watched. I walked very cautiously through the pathway and stared in awe at the plant life that had grown so close to the shore. There were all colors of the spectrum in this garden and the wonderful aroma filled me with a sense of peace. When we got up to the front oak door, I stood and awaited my judgment. I saw a green light shine above the door, I suppose that this signaled that I was allowed to enter. The large front door opened and I saw nothing.

"Down here!" I looked down to see a white pony, like AJ, that had a purple man and a horn. WAIT UP, I could not believe what I was seeing; a unicorn standing right in front of me. But I recognized this pony, it was from the old cartoon show that me and AJ used to watch in the mornings. Her name was Rarity I believe.

" May I help you sir?" she said in an impatient tone of voice.

" You may in fact. I would like to speak to the head of the household. Is anyone else here?"

She walked over to an intercom and pressed one of the center buttons on the panel. A voice come on over the other side. It was heavy with static, but understandable.

"Yes honey, what is it?"

"There are some people at the door father, they seem alright to me and one of them asked to speak to you.''

" Send him to the atrium."

"Right this way sir." We walked through lavish hallways decorated with the finest art, in surprisingly good condition for pre-war art. There was a red carpet around the length of the square hallway which wrapped around a large open space filed with tropical plant life. There was a water pumping system fuelling a fountain in the center of the atrium.

"May I help you sir?" I almost died of heart failure right there; his voice was not low or intimidating, but it carried so well that it sounded like he was talking right into my ear. He closed the old worn book he was reading and he set it onto the brown wicker table he was sitting at. I noticed the title of the book which was one of my personal favorites, _To Kill A Mockingbird._ I motioned my hand towards the chair as a request to sit down. He smiled and pushed the chair out for me, with his foot while he was sitting on the other side of the table. I walked over to the chair and set my gun on the table, to possibly show him a sign that I meant him no harm at the moment. I sat down in the chair and leaned back slightly. I then looked up to the now darkening sky, I knew there was no way that we would be able to get home in time.

" I know what you are going to ask me, and yes you may stay here for the night." I looked back down to his face to see he was again lost in the book.

" That happens to be one of my favorites, I find the many morale applicable to the lives of both adults and children." He looked up from the page and he fixed his gaze upon me. He dog eared the place where was reading and he closed the book for good now. Then he leaned back in his chair much like I was and he said," I re-read it every year, ever since I found Rarity wandering the side of a road about 7 years ago. I think that the messages of equality and love and learning lessons through our personal experiences is a good base of leadership for all fathers. I realized about a month after I found her, that I saw her as my daughter. I strive to be like Atticus in my life and help her to be a better woman." It was good to know that not only was I not the only one to find one of these creatures, but I was not a maniac for loving one either.

" I have many other books that I feel are essential in life in my library. You are welcome to take whatever books you please."

" Well, I did not come here for books. I was actually needing a place to escape the horde. We spent so long on the beach that I was not watching the sun, and as soon as I got the chance to check it was to late." He seemed to ponder this information, then he simply nodded and went back to reading," you may stay for one night." I got up form the table and went back the way I came in. I looked down to AJ, who was sitting by the door waiting for me. I tussled the part of her mane that was on her head and looked over to Rarity. She said," I suppose my father has decided to let you stay, I will take you to the spare bedroom." She led us down a hallway with beautiful artwork lining the hall. We were stopped by a smaller oak door and she left us where we were. I looked down to AJ and then I opened the door. When the door was completely opened we saw a beautiful room filled with lavish accommodations. The bed was wide enough for both her and I, the drapes were a gorgeous silken purple the likes I had never seen or heard of, there was a bookcase that was filled with classic books from before The Fall, there was a soft and velvety rug that was decorated with amazing patterns that are seen in castles.

"Not bad," AJ said as she walked into the room. I smiled at her remark and walked over to the bed. It was high but I got up easily. I felt the bed shift slightly as Applejack got up next to me and lied down with me. The silence was sweet and the darkness filled the room. " Good night dear," I said as I kissed her on her cheek.

" Good night dad."

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><p>OK, so sorry this took so long to come about but I have lost my flash drive with all my roughdrafts and outlines on it. Everything will be going slow for a while unless I find it. Any questions or comments can be asked by comment or PM.<p>

All reviews are appreciated and I look forward to feed back.


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